English Romance

"English Romance" 24"x 18", oil on linen
To see more paintings like this, click on, Recent Painting Gallery .

Cranberry lilacs and white orchids look so regal in my father's favorite vase.

The Bounty Hunter

Great news! My painting, "White Peonies" made it in the movie, "The Bounty Hunter" starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler.

Sunflowers and Irises

"Sunflowers and Irises" 5"x7", oil on linen, $450 framed.
To see more Paintings like this, click on, Mini Gallery Collection.

NJ Peony Garden on Martha Stewart

One of my favorite gardens, Peony Envy Garden in Berndardsville, NJ will be featured on the Martha Stewart Show on Monday, March 15th! Discover the latest in peonies and learn how to plant some of the most exquisite plants with Kathleen and Martha. Check your local listing for channel and time or visit Martha Stewart Online.

Peony Envy has a wonderful catalog, visit http://www.peonysenvy.com/.

Here is a small piece I painted on site, plein air last spring. Irises among the peonies...a heavenly combination!

"Peony Envy Garden" 5'x7" oil on linen SOLD

The Bounty Hunter

Columbia Pictures is releasing "The Bounty Hunter" starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler on March 19th. Look for my painting "White Peonies" in the movie!

Article on Holiday Open Studio

We had a wonderful Holiday Open Studio this past weekend! The studio was filled with lots of friendly faces and good conversation. If you missed it, send us your contact information and we will notify you when we have our Spring Open Studio.

The Progress wrote a very nice article on our event. Click here to read it.

Summer Memories

"Summer Memories" 5"x 7", oil on linen, $450 framed.
To see more Paintings like this, click on, Mini Gallery Collection.

Detail

Ok, I realize that we are in the begining of Autumn, but back by popular demand, I started painting mini seascapes just in time for my annual Holiday Open Studio event, Nov. 14th & 15th. The collection may be viewed on my Mini Gallery Collection page.

Tuscany Gold

"Tuscany Gold" 20"x 16", oil on linen, $2600 framed
To see more Paintings like this, click on, Recent Paintings.

"Tuscany Gold" was inspired by the rich colors of late autumn. This piece will be one of the many new paintings exhibited at my annual Holiday Open Studio, Nov. 14th & 15th (12-5pm) in my studio gallery, 55 Mountain Ave., Caldwell, NJ.

Scarlet Dream

"Scarlet Dream" 24"x 20", oil on linen
To see more Paintings like this, click on, Recent Paintings.

This painting is intended to pair with the previous post, "Gold Inspirations." I painted both at the same time on the same size canvases. Whether they go home to the same collectors is a matter of chance. Red poppies are so dream like to me especially in a natural setting. They seem so fragile and breezy.

I will be debuting these pieces at the Glastonbury Art Show, this weekend, Sept 12 &13 (10am-5pm). Click here, for more information.

Golden Inspiration

"Golden Inspiration" 24"x 20", oil on linen

To see more Paintings like this, click on, Recent Paintings.

Black Eyed Susans are one of my favorite flowers. They usually bloom on my daughter's birthday in July and stay strong through August. These were inspired by a neighbor's garden and many summers at our lakehouse in RI as a young girl.

Columbia Pictures

Columbia Pictures is releasing "The Bounty Hunter" starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler directed by Andy Tennant. Look for my painting "White Peonies" in the movie!

 

 

HSBC Bank opening

HSBC Bank asked me to exhibit a few paintings at their latest Wine Tasting event. This event was by invitation only to HSBC's premier costumers.

I have never exhibited in a bank before. The bartender was behind the teller station. The event was a great time including wonderful food and conversation. Here is a photo of me and the raffle winner.

Peony Paradise

Peony Paradise 48"x60", oil on linen (ask about availability)
To see more Paintings like this, click on, Recent Paintings.

This Painting took much longer than expected. I'm thrilled is is finished! Peonies are one of my favorite flowers. I have several plants close to my studio which explains why I have to paint them every spring.
This painting is so large that I painted it on heavy stretcher bars and the image continues on the sides, top and bottom. "Peony Paradise" would look wonderful as is not framed or framed in a floater type frame.

Reeves Reed Rose Garden

One of my favorite gardens, the Reeves Reed Arboretum has roses still in bloom! My favorite model and I headed out this morning with digital camera and picnic basket.

Although famous for it's roses the arboretum is open year round with a calendar on it's website listing what's in bloom. To find out more about the arboretum please click on this link, Reeves Reed Arboretum.

Sergei Bongart

Has anything ever stop you in your tracks and make you say, "WOW! now that guy knows what he's doing!" ? My artist friend, Miro Sinovcic just sent me this link to artist Sergei Bongart.

If you like to paint, or appreciate well done fresh and juicy art. You must check him out! As my friend Miro says, "Hold your chair, it will blow you off."

Miro is an excellent artist in his own right... after you get back on your chair check his work out at http://nyframeofmind.blogspot.com/ and prepare yourself for another ride.

Why Plein Air Painting is Exhilarating

"Claude Monet Painting by the Edge of the Wood" by John Singer Sargent 1885

I often get asked, "Do you paint outside or in the studio?" Well, the answer is both, but when I can, I love love love painting en plein air!

If you are inspired by nature, painting in the midst of it is truly exhilarating. I feel like I paint with all my senses when outdoors. It is so exciting to SEE true color in day light. Light moves quickly so you are forced to make your marks quickly, which takes on a fresh feeling to your painting. Any plein air painter will tell you there is nothing like it and if you haven't tried it you are missing out!

Wikipedia explains:(plān-âr', Fr. plĕn-ĕr')
En plein air is a French expression which means "in the open air", and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors.
Artists have long painted outdoors, but in the mid-19th century working in natural light became particularly important to the Barbizon school and Impressionism. The popularity of painting en plein air increased in the 1870s with the introduction of paints in tubes (resembling modern toothpaste tubes). It was during this period that the "Box Easel", typically known as the French Box Easel, was invented. It is uncertain who developed it first, but these highly portable easels, with telescopic legs and built-in paint box and palette, made treks into the forest and up the hillsides less onerous. Still made today, they remain a popular choice even for home use since they fold up to the size of a brief case and thus are easy to store.


I too have many French easels. They are wonderful! I use them painting outside as well as in the studio when I teach students. It is very convenient to rest your palette on the drawer that pulls out in front of you under the canvas. They fold easily and most all of your supplies fit in the box.

Peony Garden

I had the pleasure of visiting Kathleen Gagan's Peony Garden recently in Berndardsville, NJ. It is such a heavenly hideaway with lots of tree peonies and herbacious varieties. She also has many irises and a few red chickens roaming the property. At the moment the herbacaious peonies are in full bloom!

The garden is open to the public from 11 am- 5pm from May 1st-June 15th. Visit her website for more information. I plan on painting, plein air there next week and breathing in all the delicious perfumed peony aromas.

Thursday in the Presby Garden with Lisa

I was painting all day at the Presby Garden. What a wonderful plein air trip! The irises are almost fully bloomed. I huge difference from two days ago.

When I got back to my studio a very gracious lady had emailed me this photo, entitled, "Thursday in the Presby Garden with Lisa." Thank you Emily K.!
I am already looking forward to my next plein air excursion at the Presby Memorial Gardens again next week on Tuesday, May 26th.

Presby Iris Garden

The Presby Iris Garden in Montclair, NJ is in bloom!

It is not fully in bloom but there is enough bloomed irises to make the trip worth it. I plan on painting plein air this Thurday. I can't wait! Please feel free to stop by my easel to say hello. For more information about the garden, click on presby garden.

Painting in Progress - White Peonies

Painting in progress, "White Peonies" 48"x60."

I woke up the other day with the feeling, I need to paint large! So why not paint white peonies this way. They are so rewarding to paint, especially the white ones in my garden. White flowers have so much reflective light and so I love to put as much color in them as possible.

Stay tuned to see the progress on this big canvas.